Without vibrato Senza Vibrato

8 ve Play an octave above or below

Sforzando – Sudden accent Sfz

Poco Accel A little acceleration

LC Music – Key Definitions

Three notes played in the time

of two Triplets

Subito Suddenly

Very flute-like (bow over the

fingerboard)

Molto Flautando

Detaché Detached

LC Music – Key Definitions

Light and detached articulation of the

notes Bouncing

Espressivo With expression

To play with force Hammered

Verve Lively

LC Music – Key Definitions

Playing the tune backwards Retrograde

Inversion Turning a tune upside down

One line of melody and accompaniment Homophonic

Polyphonic Two or more

melodies interweaving with

one another

LC Music – Key Definitions

One line of melody, no

accompaniment

Monophonic

Acapella Unaccompanied singing

Where a musical passage is recorded and copied two or

more times

Overdubbing

Rubato Free rhythm

LC Music – Key Definitions

Long sustained or repeated note, over

which harmonies change

Pedal

Con Sord With mutes

The numbers written under the cello part

indicating chords and their positions to the keyboard

player

Figured Bass

Recitative A style of singing

that is more related to speech than song

LC Music – Key Definitions

A type of piece that was written as a set of variations on an

Ostinato

Chaconne

Word Painting

Where the composer illustrates words in

musical terms

A part for keyboard (harpsichord or organ) and cello

or bass. The keyboard player reads the cello line and provides

an accompaniment based on the figured Bass

Continuo

Atonal Music that is written

and performed without regard to any

specific key

LC Music – Key Definitions

Harsh, discordant and lack of harmony Dissoance

Vibrato A quick fluctuation in the

pitch of a note produced on a stringed instrument by a shaking movement of the hand stopping the strings

A wavering effect in a musical tone, produced by

rapid repeated slight variation in the pitch of a

note

Tremolo

Reel Time Signature 4/4

LC Music – Key Definitions

6/8

Jig Time Signature

Slip Jig Time Signature

9/8

4/4

Hornpipe Time Signature

Anacrusis An upbeat

LC Music – Key Definitions

More than one note per syllable Melisma

Binary Form AB

ABA Ternary Form

Sonata Form A piece of music where

usually the first movement of the piece serving as the

exposition, a development, or recapitulation

LC Music – Key Definitions

The closing

section of a movement

Coda

Crotchet 1 beat

2 beats Minum

Dotted Minum 3 beats

LC Music – Key Definitions

4 beats Semi breve

Accidentals Flats, sharps and

naturals that are not in the key signature

Beats per minute BPM

Pause Mark Stay on a note longer than it’s rhythm value stated. It is usually found at the end

of a phrase

LC Music – Key Definitions